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All about titles
Titles, nobility titles (their origin in Nobility) or more correctly feudal titles (in the medieval times) are special suffixes or prefixes that are added to someone's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a designated obligation. Titles in the middle ages were traditionally given to the nobility (hence their names), a social class which developed throughout history and was then designated by facts or events to be able to possesses more privileges than members of most other classes in a society. Because of this, membership is typically hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles (e.g. Duke of Normandy), or may be largely honorary (e.g. Master of the Horse), and vary from country to country and era to era. Traditionally, membership in the nobility has been regulated or acknowledged by the state. If a lowborn courtier is granted land, they will automatically gain a noble title. Ranks and Organization: Hierarchy There is often a variety of ranks within the noble class, something that is clearly modeled and forms an integral part of Crusader Kings II. In fact, most of the game's mechanics and user actions are centered on the balance of nobility's opinion of their liege (hopefully you) and the dynamics that result from feudal relationships that happen in the whole of the known Western World between the 11th and the 14th century. The four playable nobility titles in Crusader Kings II are depicted in the picture to the right. From left, the crowns represent the Count, the Duke, the King and the Emperor, all of which are playable in the game. There is another rank below the Count, that is the Baron (that shares its ranks with other two titles), but it is not playable. The Baron Barons are the chiefs of a Barony, that is to say a castle, always found under the authority of a Count. He shares his rank with the Bishop, chief of the Bishopric (a church or abbey) and the Mayor, chief of a city. As said before, they are not playable, and their authority is limited, but their functions are fundamental: they provide taxes and with the appropriate constructions and advancements, levies too. The Count Go to main article: Count The Count. A count, countess or earl is an nobiliary title used in European countries and present in the game. He (or she) is the one who rules a County. Counts are where other, more powerful vassals and rulers draw their strength. Counts are rarely independent, as they cannot defend themselves against most kingdoms, empires, and even dukes. Counts typically try to work their way up to dukes and will oftentimes use assassination and other methods to gain or keep their power. The Duke Go to main article: Duke The Duke. A Duke 'is a ruler of the third tier. Dukes are the third highest ranked playable rulers. Dukes rule over one or more duchies, each composed of one or more counties. Dukes can be independent, but are more often vassals of powerful kings. Some independent dukes may be called Kings (Petty Kingdoms) or Grand Princes (Grand Principalities) Although it is not unheard of to find independent dukes, they are usually vassals to a king or emperor. Merchant republics sometimes name their dukes Doges. The King ''Go to main article: King A 'king '''is a ruler of the fourth tier. Kings are the second highest ranked playable rulers. Kings rule over one or more kingdoms, each composed of one or more duchies. Kings can be vassals of powerful emperors, but are more often independent rulers. Example ; ' King Philippe I Of France ' The Emperor ''Go to main article: Emperor The '''Emperor is usually considered one step above King and as such is often called the King of Kings. There are currently two empires at 1066 in the game: The Holy Roman Empire, ruled by a Kaiser, and the Byzantine Empire, ruled by the Basileus. These two titles correspond to each other. Traditionally the Byzantine Empire didn't have de facto kings inside its jurisdiction, but on the other hand, the HRE Included several Kings, and one Archduke (of Austria). Sadly, there is no such archduke inside the game. Title Dynamics Titles are fundamentally divided in two categories, both of similar importance. There are Landed Titles, which correspond to the titles that ensure -ensurance granted by the state- that the gifted noble will be the liege of the designated place, and the Honorary Titles, that mainly serve strategic purposes in the sense that they increase some courtier's opinion of you. Titles can be granted, revoked, received, usurped and inherited Honorary Titles A number of Honorary Titles exist which can be bestowed on a direct vassal, they will remain with that vassal as long as they remain part of your realm, if they leave, even for a temporary time such as during a civil war, they will be lost.They increase the opinion of the vassal of you by a limited extent, increase their monthly prestige and income growth. The exception is Court Jester, which decreases opinion and prestige while increasing wealth, a good tool to annoy specific vassals into potential revolt. The Byzantine Empire, as well as the reformed Roman Empire, possess several unique Honorary titles. Anthypatos, of which you can have four and vassals can hold in addition to other titles, Caesar which boosts the opinion of vassals by a great amount, Sebastokrator which boosts their opinion by any even larger amount but can only be granted to close family members. Lastly Despot, which not only grants quite a bit of opinion, prestige and wealth but also has an effect on the unique Byzantine succession system. Bearers of this title count as being Born in the Purple, thus it is a way to designate your heir from any of your sons before ascending the throne. Note that although the Imperial Title and any de jure titles will go to this heir, Kingly titles and other Imperial titles that are de jure and pass on via Primogeniture will pass to your oldest legitimate heir, thus it is a poor idea to create a kingdom where your capital exists unless it is elective. Most honorary titles last until the holder's death, and revocation will always anger a holder unless it is a "court jester" title. Category:Titles Category:Beginner's Guide Category:Game Mechanics